Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

leftybass wrote: This particular Shaded-Blue Rickenbacker is the only one I've seen finished blue in this particular way---meaning the shading is only slightly transparent, if at all. To my eye, it is a solid color of light blue.

The other Shaded Blue guitars I know of (made around 1969-70) are more of a glow-style, closer to the modern Blue-Burst COY Rickenbacker instruments. IIRC, there were at least 3 of these, and one of them was a 381....John Williams may know for sure. Pics exist.

Yes, John, you're right and those are good points. The Shaded Blue guitar discussed in this thread (the original, which I tried to replicate) was done in an opaque light blue and therefore doesn't "burst" well, as there is no transparency to the solid color. There is only a very slight gradation where the blue stops and the MG shows through underneath.

John Williams has shared with me photos of "shaded trans blue" Ricks that look more like Bluebursts -- dark blue around the edges bursting into a lighter blue (almost green) in the middle, with a translucent finish.

Here are two shots of a really interesting vintage 381 in shaded "trans" blue with bound headstock, Accent TP and inlaid (?) soundhole (look at the wood grain). The other is a 370-12 from 1999 that is also done up like a Blueburst but appears to be more opaque in the middle than the 381.

Ron, post away. I love these guitars!

I love it Ron. That's a great looking guitar and of course as many of you know, any MG guitar that gets painted a great colour is alright by me.

Double Bound .... Toasters .... Full Width Inlays ... and a unique shade of Blue ....
I like it ! Thanks for sharing.

Drool drool! Gorgeous!

blue330 wrote:Let me say that I never owned that guitar! It belonged to my ex-wife, and i used it a fair bit on some records, but it went with her and she sold it. i never would have parted with that one (the guitar, that is)! It was the best old Rickenbacker i ever played- great sound, a guitar that lived up to all the "old guitar" expectations!

I would say that the replica is in general a bit more vivid that the original, and I recall a fair bit of blue right into the center. I think the color was just a bit greyer, or softer, or maybe it just just aged into something like that.

Wifes leaving is one thing... but guitars going with her... that's a horror scenario I would have to see mine twice a week - like the kids...

I remember an old Jimi Hendrix quotation going something like this: "When a girl left you... you always had the guitar to turn to..." and those days btw most of us - even big stars - only owned one guitar.

Nice 365, Ron!

Awesome Ron!

You're giving me some RAS for a Shaded Green OS model................................I'm pretty sure I could make that happen.........

libratune wrote:
Here are two shots of a really interesting vintage 381 in shaded "trans" blue with bound headstock, Accent TP and inlaid (?) soundhole (look at the wood grain).

What the?

That's one of the most interesting later 60's Rics i've ever seen -- who knows the story on that guitar? Anybody here ever own it? Original configuration?

If so, that's a one-off if I ever saw one.



Ron -- nice 365OS replica. I too think the color transition is a bit too transparent and abrupt, but i'm suspecting it looks different in person, and again in 10 years....? Closer to the M.Easter guitar than anything else out there, at least!

Ron....tremendous idea and extremely well carried out!! I've got an MG 381.....what say we try to match that picture above????

I like it Ronn!

Photography or finish, that is still one boss guitar! Now, wonder what one would look like in yellowglo?

I had heard about that 381, with the faux sound hole, but had never seen photos of that guitar before. Thanks for posting!

I hope it's still a semi-hollow/thin-line 381, otherwise it must weigh a ton!

Beautiful!

Tony